Wheel cover



Sept. 29, 1959 G. A. LYON 2,906,560

' WHEEL COVER Filed Sept. 25, 1955 2? V5 27 [UP Geo/Q65 A1. amr Am b WVW I gjjga w LN? WHEEL COVER George Albeit Lyon, Detroit, Mich.Application September 23, 1955, Serial No. 536,069 13 Claims. (Cl.301-37) This invention relates towheel covers and more particularly toan automobile wheel cover having spoke portions for retaining the coveron the wheel.

This present subject matter is a continuation-in-part of that of myco-pending application Serial No. 264,359

, filed January 2, 1952 which is now abandoned.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive wayof retaining a wheel cover on an automobile wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide'a wheel cover whereinmarginal portions of the blank from which the cover is stamped areutilized to form spoke portions which are so disposed with reference tothe cover proper that they can retainingly engage the tire rim of thewheel for holding the cover on the wheel.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved wheelcover which will enable proper cooling of the wheel by the circulationof air therethrough and which at the same time is of a simple one-piececonstruction so that it can be economically manufactured on a largeproduction scale.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, there isprovided a wheel cover having its peripheral portion formed into aplurality of spaced spoke simulating portions, each of which has aturned lip for resilient cover retaining engagement atits outer turnededge with the rim of the wheel.

Another feature of the invention relates to forming the periphery of thecover so that the cover retaining spoke portions alternate with openingswhich permit the circulation of air through the peripheral margin of thecover as the wheel rotates.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof andin which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wheel structurehaving my novel cover applied thereto; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken onsubstantially the line IIII of Figure 1 looking in the directionindicated by the arrows.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference character 9 designates generally apneumatic tire and tubeassembly mounted in the usual way upon a conventional multi-flange dropcenter tire rim 10 which is of a type now well known in the automotiveindustry. This tire rim 10 is carried upon a dished metallic body member11 secured to the base of the rim 10 at spaced intervals leaving wheelopenings 12 through which air can circulate in the rotation of thewheel. In addition, the body member 11 has a central bolt-on flange 13by means of which the wheel may be detachably fastened as by means ofcap screws or bolts (not shown) to a brake drum or the like on an axleof an automobile.

Now, it is the objective of this invention to provide an improved wheelcover especially adapted for use with a wheel of the foregoingconventional type.

I have designated my novel wheel cover generally by the referencecharacter '15 and have shown it as being applied to and held in retainedcooperation with the above described wheel. This wheel cover may be made"States Patent from any suitable material although I propose. thatit itshall be made from metallic sheets such as stainless steel sheets. Theconstruction of the cover is such that it lends itself to economicalmanufacture on a large production scale as by stamping on a punch press.

The cover 15 includes a dished area defined by a central crown portion16 and an outer generally radially extending portion 17, the twoportions 16 and 17 comprising divergent portions of the dished area inmy cover. As shown in Figure 2 the junctionof these two portions isadapted to bottom on the wheel body part 11 at 18 when the cover is onthe wheel.

More specifically, my invention is concerned with the retention of thiscover on the wheel and to this end portion 17 is formed into asymmetrical multi-lateral cover-retaining flange configuration providinga plurality of generally radially outwardly directed extensionsalternating with deep indentations aifordingrintegral spaced lobe-likegenerally spoke-simulating portions or retaining elements 20. As will benoted from Figure 2, the cover margin is undulated not only in anaxially inwardly axially outwardly continuous symmetric pattern, but inaddition, the outer edge of the margin is undulated in a smoothsymmetric curve moving in a radially inwardly and radially outwardlydirection to further define the cover margin and the retaining portions17 to augment their resilient deflectability and to provide a highlyattractive wheel cover. Since these elements are all identical, adescription of one will suffice for all. The portions 17 are adapted tocooperate with the wheel to define air circulating channels between theportions 17 and between the cover and tire rim.

Each spoke portion terminates in a turned edge 23 adapted to seat in theradially inwardly facing groove of the grooved rim terminal flange 25when the cover is retained on the wheel. Also, the edge 23 of eachportion is continued at 21 into the turned edge 22 around the peripheryof the cover so that the entire periphery of the cover has a turned edge22 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1.

The spoke-like portions 20 of the cover alternate with openings 30formed in the outer periphery of the cover through which air cancirculate, thereby permitting air to freely flow through the wheelopenings 12 in the rotation ofthe wheel and cover.

Also, as shown in Figure. l, the cover proper is provided with a smallopening 31 through which the usual valve stem 32 of the tire and tubeassembly 9 can project in the usual way so as to be accessible from theexterior of the cover.

In the application of the cover to the wheel the hole 31 is firstaligned with the valve stem 32 and then the cover is pressed axiallyinto the wheel, thus causing the "turned edges 23 of the spoke-likeportions 20 to be cammed into the groove of the rim flange 25. Now, duetothe resiliency of the portions 20 they. can yield as they are snappedinto the groove of the rim flange 25 and thereafter will have tensionedengagement with this flange for the purpose of retaining the cover onthe wheel.

In the removal of the cover the same may be effected by inserting asuitable screwdriver in one of the openings 30 and engaging the samewith the cover so that upon the application of a twisting force thecover can be easily ejected-from its retained cooperation with the rimflange 25.

It 'should be noted that the spoke-like portions are disposed at such anangle between the cover and the rim flange 25 that they can effectivelyapply a cover retain- -ing.pressure to the rim flange 25 when they aresnapped into engagement therewith.

' I claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel structure, a wheel including a generally axialwheel-surface, a wheel cover member for overlying retained dispositionupon the wheel, said cover having an outer margin which is bulged atintervals not only radially outwardly but also axially outwardly toprovide a series of spaced resiliently deflectable cover retainingportions at the periphery of the cover each biasable along said axialwheel surface into self retaining engagement with the wheel, said bulgedretaining portions including a turned tip for resilient cover retainingengagement with the generally axial wheel surface.

2. In a wheel structure, a Wheel including a generally axial wheelsurface, a wheel cover member for overlying retained disposition uponthe wheel, said cover having an outer margin which is bulged atintervals not only radially outwardly but also axially outwardly toprovide a series of spaced resiliently deflectable cover retainingportions at the periphery of the cover each biasable along said axialwheel surface into self retaining engagement with the wheel, said bulgedretaining portions including a turned tip for resilient cover retainingengagement with the generally axial wheel surface, said margin betweensaid cover retaining portions being dished not only radially inwardlybut also axially inwardly to augment the resilient deflectability ofsaid retaining portions.

3. In a wheel structure, a wheel including a generally axial wheelsurface, a wheel cover member for overlying retained disposition uponthe wheel, said cover having an outer margin which is bulged atintervals not only radially outwardly but also axially outwardly toprovide a series of spaced resiliently deflectable cover retainingportions at the periphery of the cover, each biasable along said axialwheel surface into self retaining engagement with the wheel, said bulgedretaining portions including a turned tip for resilient cover retainingengagement with the generally axial wheel surface, said margin beingcontinuously and symmetrically undulated not only in an axial directionbut also having its turned tip undulated to further define said coverretaining portions.

4. In a wheel structure, a vehicle wheel including a curled terminalhaving a shoulder with a seat axially therebehind, a wheel cover memberfor overlying retained disposition upon the wheel with the cover beingintermediately dished, said cover having an outer margin, said marginhaving an undulated generally axially extending radially facing edgeproviding a series of resiliently deflectable cover retaining portionseach dished axially outwardly and biasable over the shoulder intoretaining engagement in the seat.

5. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover having its peripheralportion formed into a plurality of spaced lobe-like resilientlydeflectable cover retaining portions, each of which has a turned undertip for resilient cover retaining'bngagement at circumferentially spacedintervals with the rim of the wheel, said cover having an annularaxially inwardly dished area disposed radially inwardly of the lobe-likeportion with the peripheral portion extending generally radially andaxially outwardly linking the bottom of the dished area with thelobe-like portions.

6. As an article of manufacture a wheel cover having its peripheralportion formed into a plurality of spaced spoke simulating lobe-likeportions, each of which has a turned tip for resilient cover retainingengagement with the rim of the wheel.

7. As an article of manufacture a wheel cover comprising a generallycircular member having divergent portions including a central crownportion and a radial outer portion, said outer portion having aplurality'of circumferential. spaced angular lobar spoke-like portions,each including a turned edge for resilient cover retaining engagementwith the wheel.

8. As an article of manufacture a wheel cover comprising a generallycircular member having divergent portions including a central crownportion and a radial outer portion, said outer portion having aplurality of circumferential spaced lobar spoke-like portions, saidspoke-like portions alternating with openings around the peripheral'edgeof the member adapted to permit air to circulate ther'ethrough.

9. In a cover structure for a wheel including a multiflanged tire rimhaving a turned outer flange defining a radially inwardly facingannular'groove therein, a wheel cover comprising a circular member fordisposition radially inward of said turned rim flange and having itsperipheral portion formed into a plurality of lobe-like spoke simulatingportions disposed at an angle to the cover member proper and bridging agap between the outer periphery of the member and said turned rimflange, each of said lobe-like spoke portions having a turned edge forresilient nested engagement in said groove in the rim flange and forresiliently retaining the cover member on the wheel.

10. In a cover structure for a wheel including a multiflanged tire rimhaving a turned outer flange defining a radially inwardly facing annulargroove therein, a wheel cover comprising a circular member fordisposition ra-' dially inward of said turned rim flange and having itsperipheral portion formed into a plurality of lobe-like spoke simulatingportions disposed at an angle to the cover member proper and bridging agap between the outer periphery of the member and said turned rimflange, each of said lobe-like spoke portions having a turned edge forresilient nested engagement in said groove in the rim flange toresiliently retain the cover member on the wheel, said member having airopenings alternating with said lobe-like portions and defined by aturned edge comprising a continuation of the turned edges of saidlobe-like portions.

11. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acover body having a margin comprising .a symmetrical generally radiallyextending cover-retaining flange aflording generally radially directedextensions from the cover body alternating with deep indentationsproviding lobe-like retaining portions with tips engageable with anannular generally radially oppositely facing portion of a wheel with theflange and extensions aflording a substantial chamber therebehind forwhich the indentations provide peripheral air circulation openings.

' 12. In a cover for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel, acover body having a margin comprising a symmetrical multi-lateralcover-retaining flange affording generally radially directed extensionsfrom the cover body alternating with deep indentations providinglobelike retaining portions with tips engageable with an annulargenerally radially oppositely facing portion of a wheel, said flangehaving the multi-lateral edge continuously underturned about the entireperiphery of the cover including the tips of the lobe-like extensionsand the indentations.

13. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and a wheel body with aterminal flange on the tire rim providing-a generally radially inwardlyopening groove, a cover for the outer side of the wheel comprising acover body having a margin comprising a symmetrical generally radiallyoutwardly extending cover-retaining flange to lie opposite the tire rimand affording generally radially outwardly directed extensions therefromalternating with deep indentations providing lobe-like retainingportions with turned tips engageable under resilient tension within thegroove of the terminal flange for retaining the cover on the wheel, saidindentations providing air circulation openings about the periphery ofthe cover extending substantially beyond the tire rim terminal flangefor air movement through the openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.164,010 Lyon July 24, 1951 2,308,618 Lyon Jan. 18, 1943 2,421,386 LyonJune 3, 1947

